One young man and 33 ageing beauties

It's legal to have an affair with vintage cars, lawyer Diljeet Titus says.

What would you call someone who owns 33 cars? A transporter? A taxi service operator? Diljeet Titus is a lawyer who looks the role, right down to his dark suit under a serious mien suggesting legal battles fought (and won or lost) in crowded courtrooms.

Meeting lawyers, their celebrity status notwithstanding, is fraught with anxiety "" you're not sure you want to spend an hour (or more) talking about complex legal cases "" John Grisham's just as good for that. Besides, you can put down a Grisham when you choose, but can you afford to tell a flesh-and-blood lawyer to rest his case?

With Titus, though, you're over that hoop early, as long as you know the password "" vintage cars! Suddenly he isn't a lawyer with a brief any more but an eager adolescent talking about his only love. Titus loves cars and is passionate about vintages.

That could explain his obsession, even though it's barely a decade old. His first-ever buy was an Austin A40 Devon. That was in 1997. He has since bought 32 others, all of them dating between 1925 and 1969.

"I didn't start off with the idea of building a collection of vintage cars," he muses, "though I did feel the need to restore vintage cars." Unlike some others who do it for profit, Titus has been selfish, keeping back each of his buys.

Soon, when he had more cars in his driveway than potted plants, Titus felt the need to institutionalise the collection, and created Pro Bono Publico (which is what happens if you do read Grisham). The Publico is his museum of vintage cars and translates to read "For The Good of the Public".

Within this "museum" are his 33 cars, including the one he favours above all others "" a Belgian-made Minerva Type AL dating back to 1927. Titus bought this beauty off Raja Mohammed Amir Ahmed Khan of Mahmudabad in Uttar Pradesh.

He says there are only nine of Minervas left in the world. "It took a lot of convincing to get that car," he gloats, "it is one of the rarest cars in the world." Most of his cars have been bought off erstwhile royalty. All of them are from India.

According to Titus, people don't actually care too much about their cars these days. "Talk to people who have ever owned a Cadillac and you'll see how emotional they get talking about them."

He can tell you stories of people who gave cars to their daughters as part of their trousseau. Guests would come to look at the cars instead of the bride. "They were the envy of all eyes," he says misty-eyed.

These are beauties that have definitely aged well, showing off their impeccable breeding. No wonder they require a lot of dedication and hard work by way of maintenance. Spare parts aren't easily available. Titus gets most parts for his cars from the US.

Walk around and you'll see the red Chevrolet Bel Air, 1957, a Cadillac Coupe de Ville, 1952 (which was Cadillac's golden anniversary model), a Dodge Seven Passenger Limousine, 1938, the Cadillac Sedan de Ville, 1959... Not that you can just come knocking. It is his private collection, so if you're in the mood for some automobile history, it might make sense to first call ahead. And don't always expect to see all the cars.

Bollywood has made a habit of borrowing his beauties "" remember the Cadillac in Zubeidaa, or Gadar or even Black? "The only thing I ask is that my driver drive the car, that it be well protected." And no, he doesn't charge for the privilege.

When he isn't caring for his cars (and fighting battles in the courts), he is organising vintage car rallies. Naturally, he's walked off with trophies so often, it's become second nature. "I don't enter rallies with the intention of winning," he smiles, "but to interact with people who share my passion." Sure.

But why a "museum"? Back when he had nine cars, he found that most collectors didn't keep their cars in any one place, so vintage car lovers had to traipse across large distances to come see them. That was tedious.

"So I thought that if people wanted to look at my cars, they could do it at one place." Frequent requests come from schools and colleges asking students to be allowed in for a viewing.

There's more in his garages than just his 33 ancients. Some of his acquisitions are definitely newbies "" such as a Toyota Land Cruiser, a Land Rover, even a Prado. Which does he prefer? "The new Ford Mustang might be a stunning car on all counts, but if you look at the 1964 model, there is a unique charm to it that is missing today," he explains.

Which is why the lawyer in him might set out in a Land Rover, but when he's relaxing, give him a Cadillac Coupe de Ville any day...